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- IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 2: Afghanistan dismiss Gill, Jurel and Pant; India reach 475/6 at lunch
IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 2: Afghanistan dismiss Gill, Jurel and Pant; India reach 475/6 at lunch
Rahul's innings was a lesson in patience and discipline. The right-hander overcame an early reprieve — a faint edge that went unnoticed by wicketkeeper Afsar Zazai — to compile a measured 100 off 165 balls. His innings allowed the more fluent Sai Sudharsan to play freely during their 139-run second-wicket partnership. The left-hander looked set for a maiden Test century before falling for 81 after surviving two earlier chances.
If Rahul represented restraint, Gill epitomised authority. The captain batted with remarkable ease, treating the weary Afghan bowlers with disdain while remaining unbeaten on 103 off 143 deliveries. His 11 boundaries and a straight six reflected the confidence with which he controlled proceedings. Alongside the adventurous Rishabh Pant, who blasted three sixes in an unbeaten half-century, Gill added 121 runs for the fourth wicket to further flatten Afghanistan.
While Mohammad Saleem emerged as Afghanistan's most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 67, it was pacer Ziaur Rahman who posed the biggest challenge. However, the visitors' biggest problem lay in their spin department. In the absence of their established stars, Nangeyalia Kharote and Abdul Malik lacked the quality to trouble India's accomplished batters.
India scored freely without resorting to all-out aggression, collecting 42 boundaries and four sixes. With the pitch expected to aid spin as the game progresses, the hosts appear firmly on course to dictate the contest and possibly force a result well before the scheduled fifth day.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Full and on middle and leg, Rishabh Pant defends this one off his front foot.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Floated into the batter, on middle and leg, Pant blocks this from the inner portion of his bat to square leg.
Hashmatullah Shahidi to Rishabh Pant, Fuller on middle and leg, Rishabh Pant blocks this towards the bowler's left.
First look at spin on Day 2 as Hashmatullah Shahidi brings himself on for his off-breaks.
- Washington Sundar 4 (1)
- Rishabh Pant 81 (117)
Mohammad Saleem to Washington Sundar, FOUR! Runs for the batter, but a moral victory for the bowler. Back of a length, around off, close to the fourth stump line. Washington Sundar doesn't move his feet much and has a poke at it. Sundar gets an outside edge, and the ball drops short to the diving keeper's left and goes past the right of the first slip fielder for four runs.
Out goes Dhruv Jurel and in walks Washington Sundar.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, OUT! TIMBER! A bowler's delight as Saleem hits the top of off to knock Jurel over. Around that in-between length, around off, jagging back into the batter. Dhruv Jurel steps across, feeling that he has covered his off stump. Jurel leaves it, but the ball keeps coming back in and rattles the timber by hitting the top of the off stump. Mohammad Saleem gets his fourth wicket of the innings. India are now 5 down for 452.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, FOUR! Jurel is dealing mainly in boundaries. Short and around middle and off, the pace of Saleem doesn't threaten the batter. Jurel gets up on his toes and pulls this through the right of the mid-wicket fielder for four runs. India's 450 is up.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, Saleem bowls it on a length, on middle and leg, Jurel flicks this to mid-wicket.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, A touch fuller, around off, Pant drives this through cover-point for one.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Good length, around off, Pant pushes this to covers.
- Rishabh Pant 80 (115)
- Dhruv Jurel 15 (17)
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Fuller on the pads, Pant flicks this through the square leg region for one.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, On off, on a back of a length, Jurel dabs it behind point for a single.
Direct hit! Has Rishabh Pant been caught napping? The replays show that Pant did take it a bit casually, but he has made it in.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Pant is safe! Good length around middle and leg, Pant ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and the ball dribbles towards square leg. The batters take one, but a lazy bit of running approach from Pant had him in trouble. The keeper, Afsar Zazai, races to pick the ball and hit the stumps directly at the bowling end. This is sent upstairs for a run-out check. The replay shows that Pant slid his bat inside the crease and got home.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, FOUR BYES! This is really wayward from the bowler. Around that good length, going way down the leg side. Rishabh Pant offers no stroke at it and the ball goes further down with the angle. The keeper puts in a dive but can't get anywhere near it. The ball races to the fine leg fence for four byes.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Ziaur comes around the stumps, bowls it on a length and angling it back into the batter. Rishabh Pant leaves it.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Full and on the pads, Pant flicks this well but straight to mid on.
- Dhruv Jurel 14 (16)
- Rishabh Pant 78 (110)
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, Beaten on the outside edge. Right in the channel, around off, shaping away from the batter. Jurel comes onto his front foot and looks to punch this down the ground but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, FOUR! Jurel is peppering that deep third region well. Good length, wide of off, Dhruv Jurel rocks back inside the crease, plays this late and cuts this through the gap between gully and backward point for four runs.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, On a length, wide of off, Jurel gives it a good look and decides not to poke at it.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, Good length, on off, Dhruv Jurel blocks this off his front foot.
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, Full and around the pads, drifting down the leg side. Dhruv Jurel flicks this through square leg for a couple.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, LEG BYE! Saleem hits the deck hard and cramps Pant for any sort of room. The ball deflects off the thigh pad of Pant and rolls towards the leg side, allowing the batters to take a leg bye.
- Dhruv Jurel 8 (11)
- Rishabh Pant 78 (109)
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Seam up, straight one, on a length, wide of off. Dhruv Jurel offers no stroke at it.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Good length, on middle and leg, Dhruv Jurel blocks this to the leg side.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Hard length, on top of off, Dhruv Jurel rocks onto his back foot and blocks this out.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Beauty of a delivery from Ziaur Rahman. Right in the channel, angling in and moving away after pitching, around off. Dhruv Jurel plays down the wrong line and gets beaten on his outside edge.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Short and into the batter, on middle and leg. Rishabh Pant tucks this to mid-wicket for a single.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Full and around off, Rishabh Pant pushes this towards the left of sweeper cover for a couple of runs.
- Dhruv Jurel 8 (7)
- Rishabh Pant 75 (107)
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, FOUR! Perfectly placed in the gap for four. Short but not that wide outside off, Jurel hangs onto his back foot, opens the face of his bat and guides this through the gap between gully and backward point for four runs.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Back of a length, around off, Pant guides this towards deep point for a single.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Around that nagging length, on off, going across the batter. Pant leaves it.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Hard length, around off, Pant blocks this to covers.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, FOUR! Oh, on any other day, that could have gone back onto the stumps. Short and wide of off, Rishabh Pant rises with the bounce and looks for a square cut. The ball takes an inside edge and it bounces to the right of the keeper for a boundary towards the fine leg region.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Slower one, around off, going across the batter. Pant pokes at it but gets beaten. The ball drops in front of the keeper.
- Dhruv Jurel 4 (6)
- Rishabh Pant 70 (102)
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Ziaur sticks on a good length and within the sticks. Jurel pushes this to mid on.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Good length, on middle and leg, Dhruv Jurel tucks this to mid-wicket for no run.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Full and on middle and leg, Dhruv Jurel flicks this straight to mid-wicket.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, Good length, on off, Dhruv Jurel defends this off his back foot.
Ziaur Rahman to Dhruv Jurel, In the channel, on a length. Dhruv Jurel gives it a good look and leaves it.
Ziaur Rahman to Rishabh Pant, Pitched-up delivery, around off, Rishabh Pant drives this to sweeper cover for a single.
- Dhruv Jurel 4 (1)
- Rishabh Pant 69 (101)
Mohammad Saleem to Dhruv Jurel, FOUR! Jurel is up and running straight away. Saleem digs it on a hard length, over off and middle. The height does not trouble Dhruv, who stands tall and swivels to hammer the pull in front of square to get going.
DRINKS! Afghanistan are finally rewarded for continuing to bowl into the right areas as Shubman Gill departs at the stroke of a hydration break. India have once again scored at a rapid pace, but the visitors would be gutted to not have gone up earlier in Azmatullah Omarzai's over, where he could have got either of the two overnight batters had they opted for DRS. Well, that can't be undone now, so they'll be needing to keep on taking wickets at regular intervals. Dhruv Jurel walks out next to bat.
Mohammad Saleem to Shubman Gill, OUT! CAUGHT! Mohammad Saleem strikes. Seam-up ball, on a short of a length, just outside the off stump. Gill tries to punch it away on the off side off the back foot and stays leg side of the ball. The ball takes an outside edge and it is a healthy deflection. The keeper, Afsar Zazai moves to his right and snaffles it safely. End of a top knock from the Indian skipper. Afghanistan break the 169-run stand. India are now 416/4.
Mohammad Saleem to Shubman Gill, On the off stump, on a good length. Gill pats it to cover.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Had to hurry! Saleem pushes the length up, on off. Pant pushes it with a straight bat to the left of mid off. Nangeyalia Kharote is a bit deep there and he gets around before having a shy at the bowling end. Rishabh is in by then.
Mohammad Saleem to Shubman Gill, Hits the deck hard, does Saleem, on a short of a good length. Gill rides the bounce nicely and cuts it to deep point. They cross.
Mohammad Saleem to Rishabh Pant, Landing outside the line of the leg stump, on a back of a length. Pant is beaten on the tickle. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the pads on the leg side.
- Shubman Gill 125 (174)
- Rishabh Pant 68 (99)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Shubman Gill, Moving back in again but this is fuller, outside off. Gill shoulders arms.
Rahul, who reached his 12th Test hundred with a patient 100 off 165 balls, embodied classical Test-match virtues, relying on sound defence and elegant drives after surviving an early chance. Gill, meanwhile, was the aggressor-in-chief, batting with such ease that he appeared to be playing a practice game. The Indian skipper remained unbeaten on 103 from 143 deliveries, his 11th Test century coming in just his 41st appearance.
Sai Sudharsan continued his impressive rise with an attractive 81 off 104 balls despite receiving two reprieves, sharing a 139-run stand with Rahul after Yashasvi Jaiswal's early dismissal. Rishabh Pant then joined Gill in an entertaining unbroken partnership worth 121 runs, smashing three sixes during his unbeaten fifty.
Afghanistan's spirited attack struggled for penetration, with Mohammad Saleem claiming two wickets while pacer Ziaur Rahman impressed without much reward. Their inexperienced spin unit failed to exert control, conceding runs regularly as India struck 42 fours and four sixes.
With assistance available for spin on the surface, India are expected to bat briefly on the second morning before unleashing their three-pronged slow-bowling attack.
